Unexpected
by MonDieu666
Summary: When Layla is sucked into the show she expects to lose ten kilos and fight demons but what happens when the brothers think she's insane and are dropping her off at the next asylum, she is terrible at demon hunting and she still looks the same as ever! [Discontinued]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** i don't own anything!

**UNEXPECTED**

"Melanie, Get up!"

Layla Watern tugged at her sister, who simply batted her hands away, rolling deeper into the covers.

"Melanie! We're going to be late for the bus and Mom is not driving us to school today. She did the night shift." Layla shoved her little sister.

Melanie lifted her pillow up over he ears trying to drown out her sisters prodding and yelling. Layla threw her hands up frustrated. She strode purposefully over to Melanie's stereo and flicked it on. With a hurried switch loud music filled the room.

Melanie groaned as the base pounded through her head. Layla, satisfied that her sister was going to get up, walked into the bathroom.

She placed her hands on the bathroom sink and eyed herself in the mirror. Layla was on the plumpish side but one could never fairly call her fat. Her face was averagely pretty, with standard brown hair and brown eyes.

She ran a brush through her hair and squeezed into an elastic, thankful for the school uniform which meant she didn't have to try and think about what to wear. There was a heavy knock on the door.

"Layla, are you almost finished in there?" Melanie demanded loudly.

Layla thought about the question. She thought she was done but once she relinquished her position in the bathroom she wasn't going to get it back before they left for the bus. She eyed her sisters grooming products with cynicism, trying to comprehend what the thousands of bottles and lotions were for. But as she opened the door and Melanie hurtled in she grudgingly acknowledged the benefits.

If Layla was standard and pudgy then Melanie was a goddess. Her tall svelte figure would qualify for a bikini model, with shining golden hair and sparkling blue eyes. Melanie was remarkable and sometimes Layla had pangs of envy but she had more or less accepted that Melanie was the little darling of the family.

Layla remembered that she had forgotten to brush her teeth. She turned back to the bathroom just in time to have the door snap curtly shut and hear the water start running. Her shoulders slumped. Why did this always happen?

She walked into her room and packed her bag for the day at school. She couldn't fit all the books in so she ended up clutching her copies of Herodotus and Oedipus in her arms. She just needed black rimmed spectacles to complete the outfit, thankfully her eyes were fine.

"What do you need all that crap for?" Melanie demanded as they hurried out the door. The bus stop was two streets away but they were running late.

"It's my books for lessons at school. You know school, Melanie!" Layla clutched her books tighter thankful she didn't need her two volumes of Greek mythology today.

"I'm well aware of what school is, thanks," Melanie flipped her hair over her shoulder and adjusted the straps of her tiny, cute backpack, which wouldn't have held what Layla needed for one lesson.

"Yeah, well some times I wonder," Layla snorted and kept walking.

"Whatever," Melanie dismissed applying more lip-gloss to her already pouting shiny lips. Layla sometimes despaired, not simply at her sister's vanity, but at how much they fit into the stereotypes of gorgeous sister vs. frump sister. It disturbed Layla so much sometimes she often expected a cute boy to walk around the corner and kiss her, followed closely by the film crew but her life wasn't a teen movie. There was no popular boy about to date her because of a bet and then fall for her, and her and her sister weren't going to come to an understanding anytime soon.

At least Melanie wasn't a cheerleader.

"Mom's working again tonight," Layla said idly as they came to the bus stop.

"That's good because I have a date with the TV and Sam Winchester tonight," Melanie smiled and smacked her lips.

"What is that you new boyfriend?" Layla asked confused.

Melanie had time to give her big sister a withering, 'are you kidding,' stare before the bus pulled off. Melanie jumped on and wound her way to the back already greeting her friends and flirting with the boys.

"Hi Rick," Layla greeted the bus driver.

"Morning, Layla. Big day to day?" He asked gesturing at the books.

Layla laughed, "Nope. Pretty average actually."

"God you're a brain aren't you," Rick joked as Layla settled into her usual seat behind him. Layla laughed.

A apple core came flying from no where and hit her in the back of the head. She winced but didn't cry out. This happened often and Layla soon realised they only did it more when they got a reaction. Instead she threw it lightly into the bin.

"Did that hit you?" Rick asked, his voice low.

"It doesn't matter," Layla mumbled, "Probably just an accident."

Rick snorted, "Yeah sure. Those kids are hideous."

Layla grinned weakly, "Don't make a scene Rick. It honestly didn't hit me hard."

Rick narrowed his eyes, Layla could see it in the rear view mirror, but he didn't say anything. Layla was thankful. She could hear her sister up the back giving her fake high superficial laugh, "stooop it! She's totally my sister."

Layla rolled her eyes. Melanie could be so pathetic. She would betray her own sister just so she could be in on the joke. She clutched her books tighter realising, a little nostalgic that, if she was truthful with herself, there were times when she longed to be in on the joke.

It was near the end of the day while Layla was trawling through her copy of Oedipus that her life got a little bit worse. Seated up in the senior section of the library she had managed to seize the chair with an outside view. She could see the storm rolling in!

"Hey honey," A smooth voice said next to her ear. She repressed a grin as her boyfriend slid into a seat next to her. Brandon had brown hair and was in the year below her. Layla turned to talk to him but when she caught the look on his face her smile died.

"Hi," Layla managed, not liking the smile in the least.

"We need to talk," He began.

"No we don't. Not really," Layla muttered.

"I can't do this anymore," Brandon said softly.

"Why?" Layla asked weakly.

"It doesn't feel right," Brandon stated, still trying to be nice.

"Can I ask a question?"

"Sure. Of course you can!"

"Did anybody else have anything to do with this decision? Or was it solely your decision?"

"What do you mean?" Brandon narrowed his eyes.

"I mean did anybody in your year tease you because you were going out with me," Layla tried not to choke on the words.

"It was just me," Brandon snapped. He said it a little too fast and he sounded a little too defensive.

"Well you said what you came to say. I guess that's it!" Layla could feel warm tears rising. Brandon looked like he thought he should say something else but he surrendered. Layla watched him walk away and began to cry. Not great sobs but tiny squeaks as she tried to hold it in. Her heart ached. She didn't think it was because she loved Brandon beyond belief but because she felt abandoned, alone in the library like some pathetic creature without a life.

Layla had a headache from crying, her nose still felt snotty and her mother was out working again. The thunder was getting louder with every crash.

"Just turn of the TV, Melanie!"

"Bite me," Melanie responded, flipping her sister off.

"What the hell is the crap anyway?" Layla stared at the TV. Too very attractive boys were running around talking about a poltergeist. Layla hated them for being good-looking at that very moment.

"It's supernatural! Damn you would know that if you even had a life?"

"Me not knowing a TV show means I have no life?" Layla demanded confused.

"Yep!" Melanie answered without even looking up. The room filled with another flash of lightening.

"Melanie, the thunderstorm could stuff up the TV," Layla pointed out, at that point also remembering to unplug the computer.

"So Brandon dumped you today," Melanie said idly, "I told you that you were eating too much Chocolate."

Layla felt another rush of tears and resisted the urge to slap her sister. Instead she walked into the computer room and unplugged it. She paused there and took a few steadying breaths. She placed a hand on her stomach and grasped some of the flesh. Layla didn't think of herself as fat. Sure she would never be one of those stick thin women on TV but she wasn't obese.

A loud crash of thunder actually rattled the house.

"Right, Melanie! Get off!" Layla strode out, turned of the TV and glared at her sister.

"You're a bitch. I'll be in my room if you wanna find me, porky." Melanie flounced off.

"And you think I'm the bitch?" Layla screamed after her.

"It's not my fault no body likes you," Melanie retorted coldly. That moment Layla hated her.

Her hands were shaking from fury as she bent to unplug the TV but at that very moment a stroke of lightening hit the house. Layla heard the sizzling crack of lightening and barely had a moment to be afraid before the roaring heat flew up her arm, shocking her heart and sending sparks dancing through her body.

Layla managed to weakly open her eyes. Her body was spasming as the electricity ran through her. She felt nauseous and her head pounded as if it intended to explode. Her eyes were blurry but she realised she wasn't at home. She wondered if Melanie had called an ambulance but it looked more like a hotel room. There were two wide eyes staring down at her.

"Sammy who the hell is that?' A loud voice cried.

"I have no idea. I just opened the door and she was on our floor," The other voice replied. It was a softer voice and belonged to the gentle brown eyes.

Layla could feel bile rising in her throat and her skin felt like it was burning. She barely turned her head before she vomited over the floor.

"Christ, what's wrong with her?"

"I don't know," The male voice was urgent. There were hands on her body as they moved her away from her vomit and eased her on to her side.

"Recovery position," The deeper voice instructed, "and mind her neck!"

Layla finally caught sight of two men's face. Two very familiar faces! Something registered in Layla's mind. These two were from Melanie's TV show. She opened her mouth to scream but the dark enclosed over her as she fainted.

**AN: I wrote this chapter before i actually saw the eppisode with Layla in it so I had to sort of edit it in. Please review, constructive criticism is always welcome.**

**MD666**


	2. Abandoned

**Disclaimer**: nothing at all.

**ABANDONED**

She was in somebody's bed and she could hear people arguing.

"We need to get her to a hospital, Dean!" someone was stating angrily.

"Yeah I get that Sammy but I'd also like to point out that we are supposed to have left town. If we go to take her to the hospital it will be pretty obvious that we are still around and then we can just say bye bye right then!"

"Fine we call an ambulance!"

"And how do we explain a girl, never before seen previously by either of us, managed to get on our hotel floor?"

"She could die, Dean!"

"And how many is this poltergeist gonna kill before we stop it?"

"Jesus Dean. Look at her. She is really sick," the voice had turned softer.

"Alright. We finish the poltergeist tonight and drive her to the nearest hospital that isn't here! That is the best we can do!" the tone left no room for arguing.

Layla coughed hard. Her throat felt like it was on fire. In fact her whole body felt like it was burning. Her eyes could barely distinguish objects from the blur.

"She's awake. That's a good sign right," the deeper voice said triumphantly.

A man kneeled by the bed, "My names Sam. Can you tell me yours?"

"Layla," she managed weakly in response.

"Did she say, Layla?" The older brother demanded sharply.

"Layla do you remember what happened to you?"

"There was a storm."

"See probably just got hit by lightening. Probably be right as rain in a few hours. Just needs sleep."

"Just got hit by lightening? Just?" Sam demanded.

"Whose that?"

"That's my older brother," Sam turned back to the girl.

"Dean," Layla finished.

"How did you get here, Layla?" Dean asked in an overly loud voice.

"What he means to ask is where are you from?" Sam glared at Dean.

"Montana, Billings," Layla closed her eyes. Her head hurt from the questions.

"Are you on holiday's here?"

Layla shook her head. Dean narrowed his eyes and walked close to the bed, "Do you know where you are Layla?"

Layla shook her head again.

"Oklahoma. That's where you are."

"Winchester. That's who you are," Layla said suddenly. Memories were flooding back.

"You were fighting a poltergeist on TV last night. I got zapped while turning of the TV. Oh my god, Melanie and Mom. They must be frantic!" Layla tried to sit up.

"Whoa. You aren't going anywhere yet," Sam eased her back onto the bed and shot a look at Dean who was twirling his finger around his temple.

"I think you're confused!" Sam said softly, "but we're gonna help you find your mom."

"Sam, a word if you please," Dean asked. Sam walked over so Dean could whisper in his ear.

"She thinks she was sucked into a TV program… about us. I think she is insane!"

"Dean!"

"No I'm serious. We should probably check the local asylums."

"She's just got hit with lightening!"

"She is crazy!"

"Do you guys have a problem with your father? My sister may have mentioned it cause I remember it," Layla asked.

"Ok I take that back. She's a crazy stalker!"

Layla wanted to protest loudly but her throat felt raw and painful. It made talking hard.

"Look, she may be crazy but she still needs medical help," Sam countered.

"Ok here's the deal. We deal with the poltergeist then we check the closest asylum. They will have a medical centre on site," Dean said. He looked strangely flustered.

"Dean, are you ok?" Sam asked looking concerned.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Dean answered calmly but he wouldn't look at his brother.

"Her name. You remember Layla," Sam prodded, hoping he might make his brother talk to him.

"Yeah but she's got nothing to do with it. Lets go kill this son of a bitch and get her to the loony bin," Dean rummaged through his bag of supernatural arsenal.

"Dean, it's ok to talk about…"

"I said she's got nothing to do with anything. Now lets go," Dean's eyes had darkened. He strode out the door leaving Sam behind.

Sam bent over the bed. Layla had forced her eyes open to watch the exchange. She felt fear growing in her stomach but she was too weak and exhausted to act on it.

"After we beat this demon we'll get you to help," Sam said kindly.

"Not insane," Layla managed to breathe out, "just unlucky." She wanted to say more to convince the brother that she was not insane but she couldn't. Her mind was shutting down and growing darker.

She shut her eyes to the worried expression on Sam's face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Layla felt outstandingly better when she awoke next which only served to worry her more. She had been struck by lightening and dragged into a TV show and she felt almost fine.

She managed to stagger to her feet. She was in a hotel. A cheap one too with only two beds and tacky curtains. There was a stain on the carpet and Layla dimly remembered throwing up on the floor.

She felt another wave of nausea and thought she was going to throw up. She stumbled into the bathroom and threw herself over the toilet. Her body was wracked with dry retching and her shoulders heaved but she didn't bring anything up. Her stomach was too empty. Her nose was running and her eyes were watering as she slumped back against the tiles on the wall. The coolness felt good against her skin.

Her body was shaking slowly and it took her four attempts to get up and walk to the sink. She splashed water in her mouth and looked at herself. An elastic held up half her hair but the rest fell around her face in scraggy clumps. Her skin was an ashen grey colour with dark circles under her eyes.

Layla tried to clear her head and assess the situation. She had unplugged the TV when lightening had hit the house. And she had been sucked into the show that had been on.

They thought she was crazy. Dean and Sam Winchester did. But if she was so insane how did she know who they were? Maybe she was a lunatic stalker and everything else was an elaborately created lie. Layla felt rising tears in her chest, she was scared and confused. She looked down and discovered she was still wearing her school uniform.

It was a hideous thing. The skirt was long and bland, and the white shirt had a food stain. She looked like she belonged in a mental institution but this was some real fact that she could hold on to. Some proof in her own mind that she wasn't mad but Layla doubted it would persuade the boys to believe her story. She was thinking better now.

She had read silly stories about girls getting sucked into TV shows. Melanie had a lot of trashy novels like that. The girl would get dragged in to the program, lose fifty pounds, gain blonde highlights and effortlessly blend into the life of the characters.

Layla looked at her own figure. It looked exactly the same and her hair was still conventional brown. She didn't know a thing about demon hunting and she was certain that she wasn't going to fluently merge into the Winchester's life. In all probability she was going to get sent to an asylum.

Which brought her to the next problem. The Winchester boys were the only things she recognised in this strange world. Layla wondered if alternate reality was the appropriate word. If she got put in an asylum not only would she not have any chance of making it back to her house but also she would have nothing real to remind her what had happened.

Thinking back now it would have been a better idea to tell them she was lost rather than sucked into a TV. There would be no question of her sanity and she could have gotten home.

The door open and Layla turned her head sharply. It made her head spin and she automatically sank to her knees.

"Where is she?" Dean's voice was harsh and loud. Layla knew she could not depend on sympathy from him. It was Sam that would be the help. If only she had watched the show she would know something to prove that she wasn't crazy. She would also have a better assessment of their character.

"Here," Layla croaked out. Both brothers appeared in the doorway, gazing down at her. They looked like that had been in a violent fight and Sam had a red cut down the side of his face. They both looked at her crouching there, unable to move, and both looked reluctant to help her off the bathroom floor.

This suited Layla fine. Her skin was hot and prickly from the lightening and the chill helped her.

"We're going get you some where safe," Sam promised.

"Yep!" Dean said with no sincerity, "Sammy's gonna help you out of here while I do a ring around."

"Ring around?' Layla asked.

"Institutions," Dean replied walking away.

"How are you feeling?" Sam knelt down so he was on her eye level.

"Better. Surprisingly better considering I was hit with lightening," Layla managed. She felt proud that she forced a full sentence out.

"And sucked into a television show?" Sam said with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yeah," Layla sighed, "can you call my family?" Layla realised as soon as she said it what a good idea it was and why hadn't she thought of it immediately.

"Of course," Sam hurried to comply. He helped Layla to stand and led her into the room. The carpet felt strange under her feet and Dean tapping away on the laptop with the phone in his hand was not comforting.

"We need to ring her parents first," Sam said pulling the phone out of Dean's hand. His older brother gave him an outraged look and glared at Layla.

"Mom," Layla, "Dad's gone." She met Sam's eyes. The hurt in them showed as he looked back towards the phone.

Layla told him the number and he dialled. He listened to the phone for a second with an expression of intense concentration before holding it away from his ear.

"The number doesn't exist. It told me to check the number. Are you sure this is right?"

Layla narrowed her eyes and nodded. She felt her bottom lip tremble.

"Let me try," Dean snapped and he attempted. There was a pause before he said, "Same thing!"

"That's impossible," Layla whispered to herself more than to the men. The fear that had subsided began to return with an edge of panic.

"I guess I'll go back to ringing who I was ringing," Dean informed Sam quietly looking at the devastated girl. Layla had though Dean wouldn't sympathise but he did. He couldn't imagine being so confused that he would have no idea where the hell he was.

He felt pity for her as he saw the fear on her face but he would let Sam comfort her. They always wanted Sam to comfort them. He was just better at it than Dean. He could only apologise, he couldn't help. Sam could rationalise and make sense of it.

Sam began talking to her in hushed tones trying to glean more information, like and address or a last name but Layla couldn't answer anything except for her last name. Her mind was so scrambled she couldn't make sense of anything and every time she thought she had an answer she remembered what had happened with the phone number and she lost it. The self-doubt began destroying any facts or order in her brain, which she hated.

"Nothing. No body is missing a patient named Layla," Dean said frustrated, "But there is one that said they have a vacancy two towns away.

"See we can take you there and they will help you find your family," Sam said with a smile.

"I got left," Layla remembered slowly. Facts from the day before came flooding back.

"What?" Dean inquired bluntly.

"Brandon left me yesterday in the library," She replied softly.

"You were abandoned in a library by your… brother? Cousin?" Sam looked interested.

"Not abandoned. Dumped. Brandon was my boyfriend but I wasn't pretty enough apparently," She spoke with more strength than she had yet, using anger to fuel her. The boys shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say and how to comfort her.

"We'll leave as soon as possible," Dean changed the subject. Layla looked at him silently and nodded, understanding that arguing right now was useless.

**AN: Please review. it would be nice and constructive criticism is welcome.**

**MD666**


	3. Af

**Disclaimer:** Nothing. I wish I did but yeah I just don't!

**AF**

Layla shivered in the back of Dean's car as the brothers went out to investigate the police roadblock. They had given her strict instructions not to leave the car.

Layla thought about escaping but understood that she had no money and nowhere to go. So she leaned back in her seat, crossed her arms and kept her face grim. Sam offered her a smile on parting but Dean completely ignored her.

They were only gone for a couple of minutes but they came back arguing under their breath. They did that a lot Layla had noticed as they had travelled towards the mental asylum. But there arguments had usually been about her. She knew that because of the looks that they darted in her direction when they stopped to get food.

The boys climbed back into the car and glared at each other.

"We have no idea that this is our problem," Dean was saying angrily.

"No a man just goes crazy and kills his wife for no good reason and that's not our problem," Sam sarcastically threw his hands in the air. Layla narrowed her eyes. Murder was not something she was accustomed to but she stayed quiet. She had learned the less she drew attention to herself the less she irritated Dean.

"You saw him being taken out of the house. He was raging all over the place. That is just a regular psycho!" Dean decided.

"But the people say they never argued a day in their lives and he admitted to killing her when she dropping his bear glass," Sam eyed his brother, "Killed her over a broken glass!"

Dean rolled his eyes but it was clear his resolve was weakening. Sam could see it and pushed his argument. "It's not gonna hurt if we take a look around. It's not like we need to be anywhere soon!"

Dean looked over his shoulder at the teenager who huddled on his backseat. She had her eyes downcast but was making no pretence of not listening.

"I wouldn't say nowhere," He said flicking his eyes back to the street in front and clasping the steering wheel. Layla glared hard at his back. He was such a cranky bastard and everything she did annoyed him. She had stopped talking about being sucked into the TV but her very presence seemed to put him on edge and she had no idea why.

Dean didn't either. He and Sam had come to the conclusion that she was crazy but it wasn't that fact that infuriated him. It was some unidentifiable thing. Maybe it was the way she acted completely sane and not mental!

"Dean, she's not dangerous," Sam hissed like saying it quietly would spare her feelings. Dean didn't know why he bothered. Layla felt hope rising. If she could some how convince them to let her stay. Prove she wasn't crazy or at the very least useful. She felt a growing terror as well. She had to accept that if being sucked into the TV was possible then all the demons and ghouls the brothers fought must be real too. Layla was no warrior.

"Fine! Lets find a hotel!" Dean snapped and turned the ignition on. They pulled off into some dingy little hotel just out of town and asked for a room.

The manager stared at the three of the curiously before saying randomly, "welcome to my hotel and I would just like to say we have a strict privacy policy. Nobody ain't ask no questions here!"

The three stared at him wordlessly unsure how to act before Layla stepped forward from where she had been huddled in the corner, "They're my brothers." Her voice held a small dose of disgust.

"I meant no offence, Lady," The man tried to amend, hands in the air.

"Well I am offended," She continued, adopting the tone she used on teachers, "Assumptions are the scourge of the planet, it is through insouciant acceptance of these that we permit our world to lapse further into the destructive degradation of expectations and conformity. I have half a mind to take our business somewhere else. Our family has standards!"

"Huh?" The manager muttered.

"Amen!" Dean whispered, clearly confused.

"I am saying that we think we'll go somewhere else to sleep," Layla was obviously frustrated.

"No no! I think I can cut you a price deal. Our biggest room only has a double and a single though!" The man hurried to appeal to her. The brothers stayed in the back and let Layla argue with the man. Sam was impressed.

"That will do," Layla decreed and Dean moved forward with his fake credit card.

Inside the room alone Layla sat on the chair and withdrew into herself. She found herself unexpectedly thinking about how much she hated hotel lights. They made every inch of fat on her body visible.

"What was that?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Best way to manoeuvre authority. Use big words!" Layla advised softly, chancing a look at Sam. He treated her with kindness despite thinking she was insane.

"Well it was just a waste of breath seeing as we don't use real money any way. It just drew attention to us," Dean protested unfairly. Layla lowered her head and said nothing.

Sam glared at his brother who shrugged and mouthed, "What?"

"We should go out and talk to the neighbours and family," Sam suggested.

"Stay here Layla," Dean instructed, like she was an animal. He walked out the door without a backwards glance.

Layla felt a stirring of anger and, despite her better judgement, she flipped him off. She caught Sam's eye and blushed but Sam just grinned ruefully and followed his brother.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dean staggered in first holding a bruised cheek. Layla had stretched out on the single bed and had felt the groggy sleep advancing that came from doing nothing.

She blinked at him while Dean swore. Sam rushed in behind him and locked the door.

"Was it just me or was that reaction a little over the top?" He demanded.

"He certainly seemed angry," Sam agreed breathlessly.

"What the hell is going on in this town?" Dean slumped on the double bed.

"Whatever it is, it's infected the whole town," Sam said scrounging for the laptop.

"There's been another murder hasn't there?" Layla guessed. Both brothers looked surprised that she had spoken after so long in silence.

Sam nodded, "Mother killed her child because he didn't clean his room."

"Seems this whole town is up for over reacting!" Dean touched his cheek gently.

"There haven't been any other cases," Sam said searching the newspapers. "No irrational murders. This place is like perfect. Bake sales and church."

"No place is perfect. So why did everybody wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?" Dean moved towards the laptop.

"Maybe a ghost is in town or someone summoned it?"

"A spirit that died violently could spread this kinda hate," Dean suggested.

"Nah I just check for a violent murder. There are none and it would have shown up before now," Sam said shaking his head.

Layla slowly approached the two brothers, staring at the computer.

"Try demon mythology," She said quietly.

"Pardon?" Sam tilted his head to look at her.

"I study Greek mythology at… my school before I came here! There are cases when whole cities have been uh infected," She told them.

The brother's exchange looks. Dean looked disbelieving and shook his head but Sam typed in anger demons.

"I can't believe we are googling for our bad guy!" Dean exclaimed as a list of possible candidates flooded the screen.

Layla scanned the list quickly and pointed at one. Sam automatically complied and clicked the link.

"Af! Not a demon but an angel of Hell. He's from Hebrew. I recognised his name," Layla concluded.

"What made you think this is our guy?" Sam inquired.

"They believe he is a world traveller. Not summoned but goes where he thinks things are too nice," Her voice was stronger and more confident. She felt a curious sensation in her stomach. She had discussed Af in her mythology class but never with in such a circumstances that he might actually be real.

"It's worth looking into," Sam said.

"Are you kidding? You don't even know this guy exists," Dean argued. He winced as talking hurt his mouth.

"You should put ice on that," Layla said moving closer.

"I don't need your help," He retorted and shoved her away. Layla fell on the bed and looked up at the man with scared eyes.

"Dean!" Sam yelled standing between his brother and the cowering girl.

"What?" Dean shouted, rounding on his brother.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Dean paused and contemplated the question.

Layla answered. "Af is getting to him. Soon we'll all be angry."

"How do we get rid of him?" Sam wanted to know. He kept a close eye on Dean who had sat down and was taking deep breaths.

"We could appeal to him with a sacrifice… or we send him home." Layla had moved back towards the computer.

"How do we do that?" Dean had calmed down but he wasn't looking at Layla.

"How should I know I'm not the demon hunter?" Layla retaliated harshly. She clapped a hand over her mouth, feeling the heated words leave her mouth.

"There is a ritual on this site," Sam observed.

"But we can't trust that it will be correct," Dean debated, rubbing his temples. He hated to admit it but ancient angles of hell were out of his league. Folklore and ghosts were somewhat easier to cope with.

"We don't have much choice. We have to find the centre of town and cleanse it of his anger. Af will try to resist but apparently salt bullets will distract him to the ritual is done," Sam read.

"That's easy. I hold the gun and you do the voodoo crap," Dean said.

"Not gonna work. Needs two for the rituals. Two males to act as Af's angel brothers Mashith and Ema calling him home!" Sam sent a significant look in Layla's direction.

"No freakin' way!" Dean exclaimed, "We are not giving a gun to her!"

Layla's eyes widened, "What? Gun?" She had no aim or coordination, which was why she dropped PE. Of course in the stories that girls easily acquired the fighting skills but they also dropped excess body fat and since Layla hadn't she was gonna assume that she wasn't going to magically be good at what the Winchesters were.

"Back to the having no choice factor!" Sam countered.

"Right yes lets give the lunatic a gun," Dean snapped cynically, "It's not happening and that is that!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I swear to god this is the only time this is happening," Dean promised as they sat on the lawn of the town hall.

Layla held the gun delicately and looked nervously up and down each street. There was silence all around. Everybody was hiding or killing their spouses! Something horrific like that.

Dean had given her a quick lesson on how to hold the gun, where to point it but she felt completely uncomfortable.

The brothers sat down facing each other and Sam help a crumpled piece of paper on which he had copied out the words of the banishment spell.

"How nasty is this going to get?" Dean asked.

"Pretty nasty," Sam grimaced.

"I, in the name of Mashith, summon the angel Af who has come unbidden to this dimension," Dean read slowly.

"I, in the name of Ema, summon the angel Af who has broken his brothers rules in this dimension," Sam finished hesitantly.

There was a huge gust of wind. Layla turned to face the men nervously, clutching the gun tighter. She felt exposed out on the street. Dean was looking anxiously over her shoulder so she turned. There was a large crowd holding various implements that could hurt.

"Hurry!" Layla squeaked.

"We just have to get through the first paragraph and then there will be a magic shield. We only have a few minutes after that to send Af back," Sam instructed, pulling the salt out of his pocket to draw the design for the gates of hell.

"Hurry," Layla repeated urgently.

The crowd wasn't running toward them but lumbering slowly with cold eyes of hate. Layla knew she should do something to draw attention from the boys but she couldn't. The brothers finished the first part of the spell.

She screamed when Af materialised in front of her.

"Shoot him," Dean commanded. Layla fumbled the gun up but he knocked it out her hand and sent her reeling into Sam. There were only a few minutes to send AF back into hell before he escaped and the whole town descended into anarchy and chaos.

Dean stood up and broke the circle. He grabbed the gun and shot the angel in his hideous decaying head. It screeched unnaturally and it's large wing flailed as it was forced back. Dean grasped Sam's hand awkwardly as the he had been sprawled from where Layla had collided into him.

Dean quickly cut his arm and then Sam's. The brother's blood dripped on the salt symbol in the grass. There was a flash of light and Af made one last charge before vanishing. There was another scream and the stench of burning sulphur filled the air.

Sam and Layla lay on the ground breathing hard. They were both bruised from the force of the blow.

"Why didn't you shoot him?" Dean demanded.

"I tried!" Layla protested, coughing on the ground.

"Yeah well you almost ruined it," Dean continued to scold her.

"It wasn't her fault!" Sam defended her.

"Whatever," Dean dismissed and stalked off through the crowd of dazed and confused people. They were muttering together and some were crying. They had no idea where they were or what was going on.

"I thought once Af was gone the anger would disappear," Layla said in a meek voice.

Sam could see tears glistening in her eyes and wanted to apologise for his brother being such a bastard. Instead he said, "He has other issues!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Layla was sitting in the foyer of the asylum. It was cold and sterile. They really were going to leave her here. She felt detached, as if this wasn't really happening to her but she knew it was a reality.

"Well if you could just sign some papers we'll take her," A nurse was saying brightly. Layla's face was bland and she wouldn't look at either Dean or Sam.

Sam felt bad and told Dean so.

"Look man I'll be glad to be shot of her. She almost ruined that ritual," Dean said flippantly.

"But we didn't know about Af till she pointed us in the right direction," Sam mumbled.

"Yeah so she got lucky once! She's still crazy!" Dean walked out the front door.

Sam approached Layla, "You'll be safe here. They'll help you and find your family."

He fished in his pocket and gave her a piece of paper.

"This has my number on it! Call us if there is an emergency," Sam said.

Layla let out a breath, relieved. It was something to remind her that it had all happened. That she wasn't insane!

"Well I cya later. We may even visit if we're through again," Sam tried to reassure her. Layla looked at Dean pacing outside the glass doors and knew that they wouldn't.

Sam, with nothing more to say, made for the door. Layla watched him go. Watched the Winchester boys walk out of her life forever!

**AN: Please review because it would be lovely lovely! constructive crticism welcome!**

**MD666**


	4. Asylum

**Disclaimer:** Nada, nothing, zero.

**Aoibhinn** – I'm very very please that you like Layla and the fact she seems human. My original idea was to subvert the whole idea but I thought I would go for a serious aspect. Besides I'm a fan of romance too! Thanks for reviewing.

**ASYLUM**

"Layla wake up!"

Someone was shaking her and talking loudly in her ear. Was it one of the doctors in the asylum coming to do another test? Another test, another needle pushed into her arm. They hurt too.

"We're running late, Layla!" A female voice continued to nag.

Layla blinked her eyes open and was startled to find herself face to face with her sister Melanie.

"Mel, What are you doing here?" Layla asked. She was completely disorientated.

"What do you mean? I'm waking you up so we can go to school!" Melanie huffed.

Layla sat up and looked around her. She was seated in her bed in her room with Melanie stomping around.

"Can I borrow that purple lip gloss of yours?" Melanie demanded, rifling through.

"Melanie. Just stop. What is going on?" Layla commanded.

"You obviously slept through your alarm, didn't wake me up and now we're late," Melanie drawled.

Layla lay back in her bed and stared at the ceiling. Had it all been a dream? Was she ever sucked into the TV and introduced into the life of the Winchester brothers only to be put in an asylum? Looking at her bedroom and very intrusive little sister she guessed it hadn't happened.

"I just had the weirdest dream," Layla said slowly.

"Mmmm what about?" Melanie had pulled a top out of Layla's wardrobe. Obviously the fact that she was late for school didn't make her inclined to hurry.

"I was sucked into that TV show you watch. With Dean and Sam," Layla began.

"Oh my god. What an awesome dream," Melanie gushed.

"Well not really…"

"Did you kiss one of them? I love Sam! What were they like?" Melanie interrupted.

"Well Sam was nice but Dean was actually a real asshole," Layla answered.

Melanie was nodding like this all made sense to her, "Well Dean totally has emotional probs. He's not nice to anyone except hot chicks."

"Thanks," Layla replied cynically, climbing out of bed.

"You know what I mean. What did you get up to in this dream of yours?" Melanie prodded.

"We fought some anger demon called Af," Layla told her younger sister.

"I bet you were totally wicked at fighting," Melanie guessed.

Layla laughed, "Actually I was kind of shit. I thought in dreams you were supposed to be really good at everything!"

"What happened after?" Melanie prompted.

"They dropped me off at an asylum," Layla concluded with a grimace.

"Well I'm still jealous. Those boys are fine as!" Melanie smirked, "But we gotta get moving if we wanna catch the bus."

"Yeah another day to face the no good ex boyfriend," Layla surmised.

Melanie shrugged, "His loss!"

Layla began looking for her school uniform as Melanie made her way to the door.

"Layla?" Melanie called. Layla turned to face her sister but she had her back to her.

"Yeah Melanie?"

Melanie didn't turn to face her but instead said in a low voice, "I'm sorry."

"What about?" Layla was confused.

"About all of this," Melanie replied and turned. Layla didn't get a moment to furrow her brow in bewilderment or scream. Melanie's eyes were full of fire.

Layla gasped before she went flying up towards the ceiling. There were flames coming towards her.

Then she woke up surrounded by the white sterile of asylum sheets and sweaty clothes. She felt like she was on fire but she wasn't.

About an hour away Sam jerked awake in the Impala. He felt overly hot and he had seen Layla on the roof burning. He gasped for breath as Dean turned towards him concerned.

"What? Sammy what's wrong?"

"Layla! We gotta go back!" Sam instructed.

"What do you mean? We only left her there about an hour ago," Dean sounded irritated.

"I had a dream. She was on fire… on the roof," Sam trailed off.

"Ok your just tired Sam," Dean argued; "She's not connected to this in any way. She's just a lunatic stalker."

"Dean we have to turn the car around. It was the same dream I had about Jess. We need to help her," Sam pleaded forcefully.

Dean swore under his breath, glared at his little brother and turned the car around.

"Thanks," Sam said with a small smile.

"This chick is turning out to be a huge problem," Dean grumbled.

"I don't get why you hate her so much," Sam queried.

"I don't hate her… I just... she doesn't feel right!" Dean decided.

"So it most definitely has nothing to do with the other Layla?"

"What? No!" Dean protested but deep down he knew he was lying just a little bit because her name reminded him of the other Layla even though they couldn't be more different. Sick Layla was tall, leggy and blond. Other Layla was short, young and plump. The only similarity was the brain problem. One problem was killing a beautiful young woman and the other problem was annoying the crap out of Dean.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Layla struggled against the bounds on her arms as they inserted a needle into one of her veins. She hissed as the long point stung and burned its way inside of her.

"Don't struggle and it won't hurt as much," An orderly promised with a smile. It would have been more convincing if his hand hadn't been pressing her back onto the bed.

"I'm not crazy!" Layla insisted.

"This is just a sedative," The same orderly promised.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," Layla protested but her eyelids were heavy and voice was sluggish.

"Shh just relax," The orderly soothed as she slipped into chaotic darkness.

There were red flashes and she knew she was dreaming but the fear was real. She knew she was still in the asylum walking the corridors but there was screaming from down the hall. She opened the first door and it was a padded room. She hurried to the furthest corner of the room ad sank to her knees. Her hands were clamped over her ears to block out the banging and shrieking. She rocked back and forth and cried.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"She's scared and hurt," Sam suddenly proclaimed. They were close to the asylum.

"How do you know?" Dean demanded shifting gear.

"I just… felt it," Sam trailed off and stared at the road determinedly. As if by his very gaze he could will the car faster and faster.

"Well be there soon then you can see that's she's fine. Well as fine as a crazy person can be," Dean said.

Sam just shook his head. Dean was being difficult as per usual. So what if Layla was a little bit insane and thought she had been sucked into a TV show. She was still a person who had actually pointed them the right direction with Af.

She was smart and crazy and she needed there help. That was what mattered to Sam.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Layla woke up in the room from her dream but the door was wide open. It was dark and the silence was overbearing.

She stepped out into the hallway in her asylum nightgown. There was nobody in sight. The air was cold and her legs felt shaky.

She heard a laugh behind and spun to face it. There was nothing there and the sudden rush or movement made her dizzy. She landed heavily on her knees. There was someone walking this way, she could see a light and hear footsteps.

The person rounded the corner and Layla quickly realised that it wasn't a person. It was the flame demon. It walked down the hall setting everything as it passed on fire. Layla knew she couldn't run away. Knew she was going to die and was filled with a serene calm.

"So do I have to go up to the roof now because I'm not moving very well," She said quietly.

"You do not factor into my plan that way. You have to bring them here," The demon hunched over her and Layla could feel the flames scorching her cheeks and leaving small burns.

"They'll never come back for me," Layla spat.

There was a gunshot and Dean swore. Layla turned to look at the brothers surprised. The demon look triumphant. Dean shot at it again and hit the shoulder. The demon didn't flinch or stagger, merely faced the brothers.

The whole asylum was an inferno and there was lots of screaming. The sprinkler system hadn't been activated for some reason. The demon stared at the brothers for a long moment and the brothers glared back. Then it was gone.

Dean swore again and tossed his gun to Sam. He rushed to Layla and picker her up. IT was obvious from her shaking that she couldn't work. He lifted her into his arms and grunted.

"Sorry I'm heavy," Layla said apologetically.

Dean wisely didn't answer but looked from side to side trying to find the best way out. The way they had come had the less flames but it was probably further to any outside exits.

"Well?" Dean rounded on Sam.

"This way," Sam directed, opting for the way they had come.

"You guys came back for me?" Layla asked despite the inappropriate time. Her arms were around Dean's neck and she was clutching on for dear life.

"Ask John Edwards," Dean deflected her question.

"He deals with dead people," Layla corrected.

"That may be all too relevant soon," Dean retorted not quite believing she was arguing about it now in a burning building.

Their clothes were singed and the smoke was making it hard to breath but Sam yelled victoriously when he made it out the door that they had entered through. There was an explosion of flame and it leapt high towards the roof.

Dean skidded to a halt and almost dropped Layla. Her face was smudged with soot and covered with burns. She looked at him with eyes full of fear. He knew that the only way out was to jump through the flames. He took a deep breath and ran towards the door.

He hit the ground hard and Layla landed next to him with a yelp. Neither of them were on fire but there were some horrible burns up their arms and Layla's legs. All in all though they were gonna be fine.

Layla worked herself into a sitting position and tried to breath cleanly. Her breath still sounded wheezy.

"We can drop her off at the hospital and keep looking for dad," Sam was saying quietly.

"We have a first aid kit in the car," Dean muttered.

"What are you saying?" Sam prompted.

"Might as well come with us till we can find her family," Dean mumbled then walked away with a slight limp. Sam made eye contact with Layla and grinned.

"Definitely emotional problems," Layla whispered.

**AN: it would be lovely and much appreciated if you could review my story becuase it makes my day. Constructive c rticism is welcome!**


	5. logic

**Disclaimer**: nothing nothing nothing 

**LOGIC**

Dean was driving his impala as fast as he could. He wanted out of the area. The demon had been there, planning on burning them to death and he wouldn't let them take his brother. Not a chance.

Sam was in the back seat with Layla as he treated her burns. They were nasty and they would hurt like hell but it was better than being dead. He had offered to clean Dean's arms but he had waved him away. Layla was obviously worse off than him and he needed to drive.

"I'm a bit sluggish," Layla confessed when Sam asked how she was holding up.

Sam narrowed his eyes. He moved his finger across and instructed her to follow it with her eyes. She could barely do it.

"Christ, what did they medicate you with at that place?" he demanded.

Layla shrugged. "Nothing that made me happy. Or high!" She giggled.

"Hmmm maybe she's wrong," Dean spoke up.

"Nope. I think it's a combination of drugs and adrenalin that made me giggle. That and I am alive. Thanks good god!"

"She's a nutcase," Dean muttered.

Sam gave him a cold look.

Dean shrugged. "Well she is. Look at her giggling like that."

She stopped giggling abruptly as Sam patted some cream on to her burns. Layla winced and Sam grinned apologetically.

"It stings a bit but it will stop infection."

"Thanks," Layla murmured grateful. She had feeling returning to her limbs slowly. The drugs were leaving her system she hoped.

"No problem," Sam replied earnestly. Dean rolled his eyes. He was stuck with the girl now. She was emersed in their world. The demon had used her for bait knowing that they would come to save her and if they left her at a hospital now it might try the same thing again. It knew they would come.

Dean had to admit she didn't come across as crazy when she was just talking normally but then she'd ruin it by mentioning a TV show that didn't exist, featuring them no less and offering home phone numbers that didn't connect. She certainly wasn't right in the head but he grudgingly agreed with Sam that she wasn't dangerous. In fact he had never met any one less dangerous in his life.

She could have at least had the decency to be wicked hot.

Sam could almost read his brothers thoughts. He knew him well enough to know what line of thinking he would go along and unfortunately with Dean it usually ended up on the aesthetic. Dean was terribly shallow when it came to women sometimes.

"So why did you come to save me?" Layla asked. "Did you decide I wasn't crazy?"

Dean snorted.

"Well if it wasn't that and it certainly wasn't my usefulness as a demon hunter, what was it?"

"Notre Damus here, had a dream about you burning on the roof," Dean said.

Layla shifted her eyes to Sam. "And you guys think I'm the crazy one."

"I know how it sounds but it's true. Sometimes I see things and they come true." Sam shrugged. He couldn't rationalise it further.

Layla had always been good with logic. She had preferred humanities subjects to science but even in a mythology class she didn't actually think they had really happened. She studied them because of what they told her about the past people, their beliefs and values. However she had been sucked into a TV show her sister Melanie had idolised. She could definitely adapt to the concept of prophecy.

"Ok so you're some kind of prophet?"

"We don't know," Sam confessed and exchanged looks with Dean.

"What do you mean?" Layla automatically assumed that because they hunted supernatural creatures that mythical powers were expected and easily explained.

"Well Sabrina's powers are new," Dean said. "It's unexpected and kinda weird!"

"Thanks Dean." Sam was being sarcastic.

"Ok well that explains a few things. About my situation."

"What?" Sam asked, baffled.

"Well I've only seen bits of the show you were on," Layla began. Dean sighed at the mention of the TV show and twirled his fingers around his temple.

"And I thought maybe I was in an alternative universe where humans have powers and demons are the norm. But it's not the norm. It's an anomaly. So I know essentially how the world works. What a relief."

"That's a relief?" Dean demanded.

"Well yeah. It'd be terrible if it was some huge war and you guys were warriors… or if you spoke a different language or everything was upside down."

Sam saw his brother's shoulder stiffen and fought the urge not to laugh. Dean didn't cope well with crazy people or theories.

"That and I had a dream I was back home and this was all a dream."

"Maybe it is," Dean encouraged. "Maybe you should go to sleep and wake up back there."

"You know my sister said you had emotional problems and now I know what she means," Layla snapped curtly. Dean was being unnecessarily rude. Even if he did think she was crazy and a burden.

"She said what?" Dean asked spinning in his seat to look at her.

"Um the road, Dean," Sam advised.

"Ok I so hate this show if they are making me all unstable," Dean mumbled.

"What happened in your dream?" Sam delicately changed the topic to prevent a fight.

"I was back home and my sister Melanie was waking me up, saying I was late for school. I explained about the dream and she said she was jealous… I think she finds you guys hot… mentioned something about my ex boyfriend. Then her eyes turned red and I flew up to the ceiling and there was fire."

"I saw that happen!" Sam interjected. His eyes were wide.

"You're sharing dreams?" Dean asked sceptically. The last thing he wanted was Sam sharing dreams with a crazy girl. It might taint him in someway or worse, prove that she wasn't insane.

"Not the whole dream but I saw the red eyes, you go to the ceiling and then the flames," Sam explained to Layla.

The both shuddered at the memory and Dean felt a little left out. But of course he hadn't experienced the terror of the demon in the dream.

"Well we need a hotel," Sam said and looked out the window as dawn approached.

"And clothes for lunatic lady," Dean gestured at Layla's hospital gown. Thankfully it wasn't one that showed off a patient's bottom.

"Dean!" Sam snapped. He was being rude but Layla had given up on caring. Dean wasn't a malicious person and if she got offended at everything he said she'd spend her life affronted. They were the only people she knew and until she got home she would just accept their faults.

"He's right," Layla agreed.

"I am?" Dean perked up.

"Not about the lunatic part but about the clothes! And the hotel… I could sleep for a week."

"Well sounds like we have a plan that we can agree on," Sam said.

"There's a town not too far away. It has one of those all nighter hotels. It'll be sleazy but I for one don't really care!" Dean said.

Layla smiled, "Good. Wake me when we get there."

They didn't wake her; instead they got out of the car and headed for the office.

"Yeah?" The man asked rudely as if expecting people that came in at six were bound to be robbers.

"A room?" Dean replied just as curtly.

"Double bed?" The man gave Dean and Sam a significant look.

It didn't faze the pair. They were used to booking in at all hours of the night and people automatically assumed that they were illicit homosexual lovers having an affair. At first they quickly told them that they were brothers but now they let them think what they wanted. It guaranteed privacy.

"You have a room with three beds?" Sam asked.

"Nope just two doubles."

Dean looked out at his car and sighed. One of them would be sharing. "We'll take that." He handed over a fake credit card.

The man handed it back with a key. Dean took both and strode out not thanking him. He had been impolite so Dean was returning the favour.

Sam however offered a quick thanks and followed.

"Get crazy girl," Dean commanded as he went to the trunk and pulled out a couple of bags.

"You mean Layla?"

"Whatever. You're sharing with her." He tossed Sam the key before picking the bags up.

Layla was a bit disorientated but happy to see the prospect of a bed. She practically bounded towards the room.

Sam opened the door and let the other two in.

"Oh my god a shower!" Layla cried gratefully.

"We all stink of smoke," Dean acknowledge, wrinkling his nose.

"I'm first." Layla looked prepared to fight for the right. Dean shrugged. Her threat wasn't exactly scary, he knew he could handle a gun and she couldn't. However, her clothes were dirtier. Besides the water was going to smart her burns no end. Dean needed to work himself up to the pain.

Layla was in and out in record time. Dean had smirked at her yelps of pain. He had actually laughed when she had called out that she didn't have anything to wear.

The brothers looked at each other.

"I'm too tall," Sam said simply.

Dean groaned but went to his bag. They didn't have many clothes but they kept what they did have clean. He grabbed a pair of boxers and an oversized shirt. He knocked on the door. It opened a crack and Layla's eyes appeared.

He held up the clothes, deliberately adverting his eyes. She snatched the clothes and disappeared from sight.

Layla held up the boxers and raised an eyebrow. He had given her undies? Granted they were like shorts on her. Short shorts. Layla tentatively sniffed them. They smelled clean. She slipped them on.

They came half way up her thighs and Layla groaned. This was something Melanie would wear and could but it just wasn't attractive. The shirt was better. It also went half way down her thighs. She surveyed her reflection in the dirty mirror. She looked like she had just had a one-night stand with Dean and needed clothes to borrow. She giggled helplessly at that though.

Dean was certainly not her type and she wasn't hers. It made her laugh harder and she tried to stop it before walking out. She took one look at their bemused faces, they had heard her laughing, and sniggered again. Dean shook his head and pushed past into the shower.

Sam reapplied the cream to her burns. "Guess you're bunking with me tonight."

Layla's eyes widened as she took in the double beds. "Guess so."

"Don't worry. Only Dean snores."

Sam had noticed her expression. "It's just um I've never slept with a… shared a bed with a guy." Her face flushed red.

Sam patted her on the back. "Don't worry. I promise not to hog the covers."

Layla realised she had no choice and concluded she was too tired to care. She had had a hell of a time and that left no room to be embarrassed about sleeping allocation. It could have been worse. It could have been Dean.

She slipped under the covers and fell asleep before Dean even came out of the shower.

When she woke up it was about four. Dean was up watching TV quietly. Sam was still asleep so she got up carefully and went to Dean.

He offered her a rare smile. "We're gonna go get you some clothes and food."

"Sam?"

"He doesn't sleep well so when he actually does sleep I let him." Dean held up a pair of jeans.

"These are a bit small for me. They should fit you… sorta." He grinned again. Layla found it odd but she took the jeans into the bathroom and changed. They were slightly big but he had given her a belt.

Dean watched her go and sighed. He had seen her confused expression when he been nice to her. It didn't really surprise him. He had been a bastard to her but he figured he might as well make the best of a bad situation. Didn't mean he had to be overly nice but civility and politeness he could manage.

Besides even if she was hallucinating and insane she must be scared out of her mind so it was the least he could do.

Layla returned to the room. "Let's go!"

The drove into the town, which was small and found the first clothes shop. It wasn't exactly a fashionable place but Layla wasn't fashionable in general.

Dean flashed a credit card when they entered. "It's on me."

Layla caught sight of the name on the card and smiled. "Bogus name?"

"Yep!"

"Mr… Richardson is it? Mr Richardson is very generous!" Layla couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok what do you need?"

"Um shirts, pants, underwear…"

"Let's start there!" Dean flashed a grin

"Pervert!" Layla joked.

Dean sighed, "It's all so true."

They walked over to the bra department. "I love this place in any store." Dean said. He pulled a lacy black bra of the shelf and handed it to Layla.

She eyed it. It looked uncomfortable. She pushed it back at him.

"Buying something for your girlfriend?" A sale assistant asked from behind him.

"He's not my boyfriend," Layla hastily answered.

Dean was little affronted. "Now Layla that joke is funny occasionally but not always." He turned with a joking smile to the assistant. She was beautiful.

"She's not my girlfriend," Dean said quickly.

Layla rolled her eyes. "He's just a friend. Also a pervert!"

Dean went to glare at her but she had pulled underwear off and was going to the change room.

Alone with the assistant Dean found it easy to be charming.

Layla came back after a few minutes, "It mostly fits. Clothes now."

She pulled Dean away from the pretty assistant. "But… but I want to play with her!"

"Shut up!"

Layla found some necessary items and tried them on too. Dean lurked in sight of the lingerie girl. It was an effort to drag him over to pay but she managed.

"Food now!"

Dean forgot the assistant at the mention of food.

"Ok we need necessities like toothpaste as well, you do that and meet me back here in fifteen," Dean instructed.

Layla did as was asked and they were lining up at the register in no time. She looked at the canned food and raised an eyebrow.

"Eat healthy?"

"Hey we need cheap and we need long lasting," Dean answered. He began putting the things on the register. He almost jumped a foot when he found a packet of tampons.

"I said necessities!"

"These ARE necessities!"

"No they're not!"

"Wow. You obviously haven't been in a long term relationship with any girl," Layla mused.

"Yes I have!" Dean retorted but he left it at that and turned back to the employee who was gazing at them like they had extra heads.

"How's your day been?" Dean tried to cover with a winning smile. God help him Layla was just as annoying normally as when she was crazy.

**AN: I got nothing to add. Please review. Constructive criticism is welcome as always.**

**MD666**


	6. Training

Disclaimer – Don't own anything

"You shut up!"

"No you!"

The sounds of imaturity drifted into the room an woke Sam up. He groaned and shifted in bed to find the time. It was very late afternoon and Dean was fighting with Layla. Albeit not articulatly in the slightest.

"I said shut up first!"

Sam stood. "both of you shut up." He glared at the pair of them. He didn't care how traumatising their week had been or if they didn't like each other, he wasn't going to let them fight like this.

Both of the arguing pair snapped their mouthes shut. Dean looked surly and rolled his eyes. Layla sast her gaze down to the floor sheepishly. She did this for a number of reasons. One Sam had been so nice to her an obviously she had disapointed him and two, he wasn't wearing a shirt. Layla hadn't had much experience with real life half naked guys but the ones she had seen didn't look like they belonged on MTV.

She gulped and tried to focus on the actual words coming out of the younger winchesters mouth. "We're stuck together for now and we're just going to have to get along. Now what was the fight about!"

Dean and Layla both opened and closed their mouthes in unsion. Both were at a loss as to what to say. Dean was perfectly content to remain silent but Layla caved under sam's authorative stare.

"Tampons," she whispered.

"What?" Sam demanded.

Layla's face flush red and she forced herself to say it again.

"I heard you the first time but how you two can possibly be arguing about it I have no idea!" Sam's disapointment was splayed across his face.

Dean shrugged. Sam stared scrutinisngly at each of them before sighing. "Whatever," He muttered.

"I'm going to try the clothes on, Layla said quickly and hurried in the bathroom.

Sam glared at Dean. He could guess who started the argument.

Dean felt the hard gaze on his face. "Oh come on Sammy. Lighten up. It wasn't a serious argument!" He started rumaging through his suitcase.

Sam felt his shoulders tighten at his childhood nickname. Dean only used it when he want sam to feel young and stupid.

"I don't care. It may start as joke but who knows how she might react. You were the one so adamantly believeing she was insane. What's to say she doesn't cut your throat in the middle of the night."

Dean stared at his brother in surprise. "hey I thought you were on the she's not crazy team!"

"She's no raving lunatic but she isn't normal so let's not taunt her," Sam advised, knowing too well that Dean would strugle to follow his advice.

"Sure thing lil' bro!" Dean agreed, pausing from his rumaging to slap Sam on the shoulder. Sam could tell he was just humouring him but he let it go.

Layla was in the bathroom with her ear pressed against the door but she couldn't discern any individual words. She could only hear a low rumbling of voices then silence. Layla returned her attention to the task at hand. Selectecting clothes to wear from the pile.

She finally settled on a shirt and jeans. 'Let's keep it simple' she thought before going back into the room. The brothers paused to stare at her. Layla savoured the moment, imagining it was like a movie moment when the beautiful girl enters and all boys stare.

Of course that wasn't what was happening here and she knew it. The boys were just startled to see her in something that wasn't disheveled or that belonged to them. She looked like a normal girl. Like she should be heading off to school or to the mall with friends.

Sam felt real regret that she had been dragged in to this life. He felt that bitter pull in his heart whenever he thought of the life he could have had. A lawyer with a beautiful girlfriend. A normal life with Jess. He shook his head to keep his eyes free of tears.

Dean admitted that she looked different now. She looked clean and more comfortable. And much younger. For the first time he percoieved that she was actually only a teenager. Didn't make much difference to him though. He had started hunting well before puberty hit.

"We should probably get a move on now," Sam stated. They had payed for a second night in the room but were just keen to get out of this dump of a motel.

"Yep. Let's move!" Dean agreed and grabbed his bag of the bed.

They piled into the car and the engine roared into life. They were off and down the highway at speeds that made Layla consider praying. The stereo was blaring rock and Dean was enthusiastically banging on the steering wheel in time to the beat. Sam kept shooting him irritated looks as he tapped away on his laptop, searching for information that might lead them to a case.

Layla was had stuffed abread roll down her throat and now she wished she hadn't. She felt every bump in the road. She had never travelled well. But she'd rather suffer in silence than tell the brothers. They already thought she was a weak and a burden and she wouldn't do anything to encourage that image of herself. She tried to focus on the scenery but there was nothing except dirt and dust.

After about half an hour, Layla had turned an even paler colour, causing the cuts to stand out vividly on her face. Sam had peaked back to check on her after she had been quite for so long. She was bitting down hard on her lip.

"Are you alright, Layla?" Sam asked fearing the worst. She had been eltrocuted, drugged and burnt recently and by all rights should be in a severe state of shock.

Layla didn't stop biting her lip but forced the word "fine" out through clenched teeth. Dean cut his eyes to the rear view mirror to look at the girl. She wasn't 'fine' but if she didn't want to share than he didn't care. Sam grudgingly returned to his lap top.

They continued for another half an hour.

"Stop the car! Stop the car!" Layla was green now.

Not understanding exactly what was happening, Dean slammed on the brake. The car skidded to a halt and Layla threw open the door, racing away from the car. The brothers exchanged quick glances and ran after her.

"Layla, wait!" Sam yelled.

"It's no use," Dean breathed running next to sam. "She's gone crazy again and running away."

At that moment Layla collapsed onto her knees on what was probably the only peice of shrubbery in the area and threw up what she had eaten. Dean stopped running as soon as he saw the vomit. Sam however moved forward and held back her hair.

Layla could feel the wretching wracking her already eshausted body. Eventually she had nothing left to throw up.

"I can't believe you get travel sick," Dean stated drawing level.

Layla was wiping her mouth and trying to reclaim her dignity.

"When god was handing out pathetic qualities at the beginning you were standing at the front of the line, waving, shouting, 'oh pick me. I'm over here. Pick me!'"

Layla tried to give him a withering glance but it lacked force. Sam helped her to her feet, sliding one arm around her waist. Dean sighed. He hated this Knight in shining armour crap. But Sam's display also made him feel paticularly obligated to assist.

He moved to the other side and put his arm around her waist to. She had her arm slung over both brothers shoulders. Layla had been surprised when Dean had come over and aided her, especially when just Sam's help would have been adequate.

Sam insisted on her riding in the front. He gave her a bottle of water and cranked the window down to let the fresh air in. She gave him a water smile of thanks which he returned. Dean slid back into the drivers seat.

"If you feel sick, like throwing up, you tell us to stop." Dean commanded.

Layla blinked at this compassionate statement.

"I don't want anythign on this leather and besides it will stink the car out," Dean finished and started the car.

Layla rolled her eyes. The sun was setting and the warm night air was making driving pleasant. If Layla tilted her head she could see the stars. The only light was from the impala's head lights and Sam's laptop.

Sam fell asleep after a while. Layla could here his gentle breathing. Dean was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He could feel himself growing tired. He couldn't drive much longer. There was a town up ahead but they wanted to travel further than that. Sam was too tired to drive as well. That left one person.

"hey Layla," he finally said. "I'm feeling a little tired. You think you could take the reigns for a while." Each word was forced with great effort out of his mouth. He didn't let just anyone drive his car and he was loathe to let her take the wheel but what options did he have.

He noticed a pained expression on Layla's face. "What?" he demanded.

"I can't drive." She said it quickly as though if she said it fast it would be less inconvinient.

Dean tried not to wince or twitch but he didn't do it succesfully.

"Sorry," Layla spat out swiftly.She opened her mouth to say more but Dean held up a finger bringing silence. Layla twisted her head so she was facing forward once again and slouched in her seat. She couldn't fight, she couldn't be sane and now she could drive for them.

Dean tried to control his annoyance. He tried to think rationally. She was probably in no state to drive either. Even if she could. "It's ok."

Layla heard the effort it took him to say that and she smiled gently. Dean pretended not to see and tried to remember if he had stayed in any good hotels in this town.

Sam was startled awake by the ceasing of movement and the slam of the car door. He was disorientated by sleep. Was Layla sick again? Were they fighting again? He stared up into a flashing sign of a hotel. He supposed Dean had decided to stop for the night then.

"I thought we were going further?" Sam asked, his voice groggy with sleep. Layla swiveled in her seat to face him.

"Dean was too tired and I can't drive!"

"Ok." Sam stretched in his seat and ran a hand through his ruffled hair.

Dean came back dangling a key. Sam and Layla got out of the car and followed him to a room, dragging their stuff.

Dean dumped his stuff on one of the double beds. "I'm gonna take a shower." He shut the door behind him with a curt click.

"He's cranky!" Layla obsererved.

"As opposed to what?"

"Good point."

Dean turned the shower on hard and made the temperature so hot he could barely stand it. He felt the heat ease into his tense muscles and he tried to let go of his frustration. What he needed was a holiday. Him and sam. A week where they could sleep and recover from one stressful case after another.

But He couldn't stop. They couldn't afford to rest. They were advancing at a snails pace because they were exhausted but it was still progress.

Dean rested a hand on the wall and leaned on his arm. The water splashed over his face making it hard to breath but he didn't move. Something had to be done about Layla too. She was here now, he couldn't change that. What he could do was make her a better fighter. Make her useful. Besides this little mission would give them something to tide them over until they found an actual case to pursue.

He got dressed and walked out. Layla was watching TV and Sam was tapping away at his computer. Well no time like the present. He was tired and aching but this meant there was less chance of him forgetting himself and hurting her.

"It's you lucky day, Layla. I'm going to teach you how to fight!" He announced striding into the centre of the room. Sam ceased typing to stare at his brother. Sam couldn't help but wonder if his brother had an ulterior motive. Stil he would not deny that layla needed training if she was going to survive in their world.

Layla looked incredulous. She had flunked PE with a vengance. "You're joking right?" she asked sounding hopeful.

"Nope. Get up. Help me clear some space!"

Layla made eye contact with Sam and mouthed, 'help me.'

Sam smiled and shook his head.

"Ok lets start with basics. A punch and a block. Most trained fighters will hit you with a straight punch none of this wild round bullshit!" Dean began circling Layla, who was beginning to feel like a hunted animal. Dean paused to examine the teenager.

"Ok your stance is weak and you look scared! The first defence you have is confidence. Confidence and attitude is key!"

Layla couldn't help but snort. She was a tubby teenager nerd at high school. How much confidence and attitude did he expect her to have. Her self esteem probably couldn't be lower even if Frankenstein had said he thought he was too good for her.

Dean sensed her train of thought. "Fake it till you believe it. Spread your legs, hands on hips and shoulders back."

She did as instructed and the brothers anaylsed the result. She had more of a presence now but there was something lacking.

"Look Layla. I don't care if you don't believe it in here," he pointed to his heart, "but they gotta see in your eyes that you think you're it. Use your eyes to lie."

"Let your anger out," Sam threw in.

"I'm not angry!"

"Liar," Dean snapped. "You're sucked through a TV to a place where we think you're crazy and there is a real chance of you dying."

Layla seemed to shrink into herself. She hunched her shoulders and looked defeated.

"Don't slouch," Dean cried. Layla winced and Sam remembered the way their dad had yelled at them to get them so mad they could beat anyone.

"Well I can't blame you for thinking I'm a lunatic really," Layla shot back!

"Oh you're so understanding. Is that why you're just a doormatt at school? Why your boyfriend dumped you? No wait, I forgot, it's because you're just pathetic."

Laylas jaw dropped.

"You can't fight, you can't drive. What have you got going for you? Nothing. Hell someone with as little talent as you could at least be devestatingly gorgeous and become a model. You're nothing!"

"I'm not nothing! I'm smart!"

"Good for you... but who really cares. Do the boys? Does your sister? Do your parents?"

Layla slapped him hard across the face. Sam let a huge smirk cross his face as Dean raised a hand to his red face. Layla's eyes grew wide and she started stuttering apologies. She trailed off when Dean smiled. It resembled a bit of a grimace but she knew it was more or less a smile.

"Good. We've got the agression! Now let's give it a place to go!"

Layla did endless punches and blocks until her arms ached and she was sweating heavily. Dean didn't even look flustered as he easily deflected her punches. Each of her blocks sent pain up her arm and Dean wasn't even trying. For the first time she appreciated how strong and well trained the older Winchester was. Sam was pretty focused on his laptop but occasionally he'd say words of encouragment or advice.

Eventually Dean let her stop. "You did ok," he said and let her go to the shower.

"What do you think?" he asked Sam.

Sam didn't take his eyes of the screen. "Well she's not exactly a fighter but she wasn't bad either."

"Yeah I know. With training each day she could become adequate. Probably more than adequate!"

"But she'll be up agaisnt people who've been training their entire lives or have the luxury of having magic."

Dean sighed. He knew this and that's why they would have to protect her. "Guess we could teach her how to shoot."

"Uh let's not give her a gun for a while!" Sam said. Dean grinned and started getting ready for sleep.

"Dean!"

"What?"

"I think I've found a case."

AN: I don't own anything. My first update in ages since I moved to a different country. That's why if their are typos and spelling errors I apologise. I didn't have English spell check!

MD666


	7. Syndrome

**SYNDROME**

Layla jumped when the doorknob turned and the brothers burst in. They were laughing and slapping each other on the back, clearly pleased with themselves.

They didn't even acknowledge her presence. She was annoyed. She had sat on the bed, hands clenched, starting at every noise.

She cleared her throat angrily. Not one of them looked at her. She coughed pointedly. They continued congratulating each other. Layla noticed now they were talking kind of loud.

"Oye," She interjected finally. Both Dean and Sam turned to look at the angry teenager standing there with her hands on her hips.

Layla gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Both of them had a trail of blood coming from their ears.

"I didn't know a Banshee could do that." She rushed forward, grabbed Sam's arm and forced him to sit down. Dean rolled his eyes as she fussed around wiping the blood off his brother's face. Sam always got the female attention. Dead didn't understand. He was totally the hot one.

As Layla used the wet clothe to swab the blood off his face the brothers has explained what had happened.

"I still can't believe you knew anything about Banshees," Dean mused leaning back in a chair.

Layla shrugged. "I didn't mythology in school. You know, not like in the context that anything existed. And it's by no means comprehensive."

"Yeah, you had zero free time growing up did you Hermione?" Dean deliberately baited her. She just sighed and ignored him. Layla didn't have much fight in her; she had a lot of doormat in her.

Sometimes he managed to provoke her into a fight but mostly she humoured him like a delinquent toddler. That annoyed him a thousand fold. He was somewhat surprised when she got a clean clothe and began removing the blood from his face. He jerked away, refusing to be coddled. However she has a hard grasp on his chin and eventually he succumbed to her administrations.

He wouldn't admit but it felt nice having, if not an affectionate touch, than a soft one. The older Winchester would never confess to it but sometimes he felt starved for human affection. He hadn't grown up with much and his mother had died while he was still young.

He wasn't overly comfortable with this coming from Layla, the slightly chubby crazy teenager. She made him uncomfortable, though he had stopped making a huge issue of it.

"So loony Layla, what have you been doing while we were gone?" He asked with a jaunty grin. Alright, he had almost stopped bringing it up. Sam glared at him for a moment.

Layla didn't seem to notice the insult. She had grown accustomed to Dean's taunts and understood they were more of a defensive mechanism than real biting comments.

"Yeah I fretted up a storm," she answered coolly.

"Don't sound like you were very concerned."

"Well if I knew you were going to bleed like this I may have been. You can hardly afford to loose the blood from your brain."

Sam started to snigger and Dean scowled.

There was a small cut high on his cheek which Layla brushed gently. "I should really clean that."

Dean automatically put his hand up and grabbed hers, not aggressively but gently. "Layla, stop fussing."

Their eyes locked for a second before Layla moved away, averting her eyes to the ground and tucking a lock of hair behind an ear.

Sam caught the look and raised an eyebrow. It was so fleeting that it barely registered but Sam noticed. Dean was examining his blood stain shirt and muttering about buying a new one.

Sam cleared his throat. "So Layla? Want to do a training session."

Layla made a face. She had no natural affinity for hunting or violence. The brothers training had made her semi passable and she could have sworn she had lost weight from the combination of activity, lack of food and anxiety. All great recipes for an unhealthy lifestyle and early grave.

Sam clocked the look and laughed. "Should I take that as a no?"

"We deserve a night off," Dean said, shrugging off his ruined shirt. Layla nodded wordlessly. A night off would be great especially with no bogey monsters raining down on them.

"I couldn't argue with that," Sam finally said and stretched. Normally they were being run out of town by some sheriff or trying to protect their identity but this time everything had gone smoothly, or as smoothly as anything to do with occult goes. But more importantly it had gone discreetly.

"Let's find a bar," Dean said enthusiastically.

"Under the legal limit," Layla waved a hand in the air. She paused. "Also no ID." She had nothing but the clothes off her back when she'd been sucked into the TV show.

Dean scoffed. "It's a small town bar, they don't card."

Turns out he wasn't right but a twenty slipped into the hands of the owner dispelled any arguments. Layla had to promise not to drink and he kept a steely eyed watch on her as she meekly sipped a coke.

Layla had no real interest in drinking. She gazed around wide eyed at the bar filled with interesting characters. Her sister had probably gone to bars and clubs despite being younger. E had just been more adventurous and cool in so many ways.

The music was god awful, the room was filled with smoke and every one seemed to be wearing denim or plaid.

Dean ordered whiskey straight whilst Sam settled for a beer. Dean raised his glass in toast.

"Cheers, Sammy, to another job well done."

Dean was used to hard drinking. It didn't take Layla long to figure that out. He should have been drunk by any standards but his eyes were clear even if his movements and speech weren't quite up to speed.

They slipped into easy conversation about past hunts and challenges. Layla listened, enthralled, absorbing anything she could. If she was going to last long in this world she had to know everything. Luckily for Layla, taking in information and retaining it had never been much of a problem.

Eventually Sam said he had enough and returned to the hotel room. Layla was still enjoying the spectacle of drunken middle aged farmers.

Dean, having decided there was no woman worth pursuing in the bar had settled back to get very drunk. Layla's company wasn't as intrusive as he would have imagined. She sat more or less quietly and observed.

"Never been in a bar before?"

She shook her head. Almost as surprised at Dean making conversation as he was at himself. Must be the alcohol, he assumed

"No. I didn't do anything really rebellious or interesting."

"You got struck by lightening and sucked into a TV show," Dean pointed out.

"Yeah but that was by accident and you don't even really believe that happened."

"It's not too far fetched…I mean alternate universes, spells etc. But I just can't believe me and Sammy are fictional characters." He poured more alcohol down his throat and relished the way in burnt.

"Guess I wouldn't want to believe it either," Layla said, turning her attention back to the throng of people.

"So tell me more about the show," he prompted.

Layla laughed. "I didn't watch it. I just know because Melanie talked about it all the time."

"Is your sister hot?"

"Very," Layla answered, deadpan.

Dean shook his head at the stoic expression. Sore spot. "You can ask whether my brother is hot," he offered.

"I've seen Sam. I know he's hot," she replied without thinking.

"Ah ha! So you think Sam is hot." He had a triumphant look on his face.

Despite herself, Layla started laughing. "Clever."

"I thought so."

"Can I ask you a question?"

Dean looked a little uncomfortable. "That never leads to places that are good."

"I was just wondering, I know you have some sort of problem to do with your dad. I was just wondering what it was." She broke off and when the silence lingered longer than necessary she assumed he wasn't answering. Great, she thought, I've offended him and we were actually acting civilised. She berated herself for being nosy or not at least waiting to ask Sam, the infinitely more stable of the pair.

"He died."

Layla looked up startled. "I thought he was missing."

"He was. Then he was found… then he died."

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

"Not your fault," he sipped at his drink. "He traded his life for mine."

Layla didn't really have any words for the situation. She was a sheltered teenager so she said the only thing she could think of. "Shit."

"Yeah."

She opened her mouth to say more but realised his face had closed off. To Dean's relief she didn't push any more questions. Maybe he could be friends with her after all.

"'Scuse me, wanna dance?" A huge drunk hairy man loomed in front of her.

"Me?" Layla squeaked out. Men never approached her. She was mediocre.

"I don't think he's asking me," Dean murmured.

Layla did not want to dance with this man. Layla very much did not want to dance with this man. But she didn't know how to say no. She stuttered a bit and Dean quickly realised she was adept to deal with this situation.

He slipped an arm protectively around her shoulders. "She's with me," he said hoping this would satisfy and the man would go away.

The man shook his head. "Woman like this needs a real man, not a boy like you."

Dean smirked and raised his glass to his lips, refusing to deign the idiot with a response.

Layla mumbled something about "not being a woman at all."

The man was irritated at being ignored and went one step further to illicit a response from Dean. He roughly shoved his shoulder.

Dean turned calmly and professionally punched the man in the face. He went down cold.

"You punched him," Layla observed uselessly.

"Yep," Dean said, casting a quick glance around the bar realising most of the men here were friends. He downed the remainder of his alcohol, grabbed Layla's arm above the elbow and steered her out. "Time to go, trouble maker."

Layla still seemed a bit stunned by the encounter. "But I'm not that attractive."

"You are bloody annoying," Dean snapped so Layla shut up and followed him.

The next day Dean showed no signs of a hang over and Sam was talking animatedly about a poltergeist in a neighbouring town.

Layla asked a thousand questions in the car. "I've only seen the movie and only when I was little. It gave me nightmares," she confessed.

"I'm not surprised," Dean said. He had hardly said two words to her today and she was relieved for this statement even despite its mocking purpose.

They found the house easily enough. Every body was talking about what had happened. A brother had been murdered. No one knew why they just knew it had happened. The brothers set their mouths in grim determination and knocked on the door. Layla had been made to sit in the car but she had seen the pretty girl answer the door.

The brothers returned half an hour later. They looked more sombre than before if possible.

"Definitely a poltergeist," Dean agreed. "I felt that bad energy."

"What happened?" Layla piped up.

Dean was too distracted to answer her, let alone look annoyed at her questioning.

"Turns out the brother may have been having an affair with a married woman. Her husband fell down the stairs when he came to confront him."

"Murder," Dean fake coughed.

"Maybe," Sam conceded. "But he had stopped the affair with the wife."

"So plan of action?"

"Standard salting and burning of the body," Sam said casually.

"That's uh standard for you boys?" Layla said.

"Pretty much yeah."

"Mary said his buried in the cemetery on the outskirts of town," Dean said.

"Mary?" Layla inquired.

"The sister. The girl who answered the door."

"Uh the pretty one."

Dean flicked his gaze to the rear view mirror to examine the girl on the back seat. She looked wholly unimpressed with the situation. Yeah well so was he.

They found the grave easily enough and dug up the jealous husband. The cemetery was not that far from the house actually. When the brother hit wood Layla took a step back.

"Is it going to smell?"

"Yep," Dean grunted as he opened the coffin. His mouth dropped open.

The remains had already been burned and salted.

"It's already been done." Dean sounded shocked and a little disappointed. Sam, however, was shaking his head.

"This was done a while ago. Before the brother was killed."

They exchanged worried glances. "Whose in the house than?" Layla demanded.

Dean rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "Go back to the house and find out what happened to the mistress. The wife. And whatever you do, don't go into the house." He tossed the phone to Layla.

Layla ran as fast as she could. Her legs ached and burned but she made it. She pounded on the door trying to slow her breathing.

The pretty girl answered the door. "What… happened… to … mistress?"

Mary looked taken back by the appearance of her and tried to shut the door in the face. Layla grabbed her arm to pull her back but Mary was stronger. Her movement pulled Layla inside the house. The door shut ominously behind her. There was a small click.

Layla didn't bother looking. "We're locked in, aren't we?"

Mary nodded wordlessly.

"Ok Mary. I need you to tell me what really happened here. And quickly if possible." Her finger hung over the call button and she tried to keep it steady. She was so scared she could barely breathe.

There was an unearthly cackle from above and the furniture started shaking.

This seemed to settle things for Mary. "She pushed him down the stairs. The husband and then she killed herself. Said if my brother didn't love her life wasn't worth living. He had ended the affair you know."

"Her name!? Her name!?" Layla pressed.

"Jillian Swanson."

Layla slammed her finger down and the phone dialled. Sam answered.

"Jillian Swanson. And hurry!"

"Did you get Mary out of the house?"

"Not exactly."

"What?"

"Um I kind of got pulled in and the angry bitch locked the door."

Sam repeated it to Dean who swore. Layla winced.

She didn't hear much more. The phone went flying out of her hand and there were footsteps on the stairs. Layla grabbed Mary's hand and back against the door.

Layla shakily pulled up a gun. Dean had thrust it into her hand without comment earlier. "I hoped I wouldn't have to use this."

Mary scrambled behind her, wrongly thinking that Layla knew what she was doing.

Layla saw the hideous figure, face contorted by rage and death.

She fired an unsteady shot into its shoulder and felt like her arm was thrown back a hundred feet. It gave a screech and disappeared but all manner of objects began to hurl themselves at the pair.

Layla pushed Mary into the kitchen and as soon as she was there she realised her mistake. Kitchen tended to equal knives. She was about to leave but Jillian appeared before her more horrible than before.

She was holding one of those knives Layla hadn't thought about in advance.

Layla didn't know what else to do so she shut her eyes and prayed to anyone that might hear. The creature gave one last caw and then silence. Layla dared to open and eye. She was gone. Layla slumped to the floor relieved.

Mary started crying and Layla gripped her hand. Trying to comfort her but needing it desperately herself.

The brothers came soon. Sam hastily helped Mary up, he pulled her into the lounge room, saying soothing things. Dean looked at the younger girl on the floor. She looked severely shaken but she wasn't crying. Dean privately approved. Good girl, brave girl he thought but couldn't bring himself to actually say it.

He squatted near her and put both hands on her shoulders. "She's gone. You're safe now."

"For now," Layla amended.

"For now, until I am not around to help." Dean felt like hitting himself in the head for saying something so ridiculous. Layla seemed to appreciate it and pulled herself upright again.

Later the pair of them sat in the car, watching Sam talk with Mary. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Dean stopped looking then and stared at the road in front of them.

"They always do that don't they." Layla made it sound more like a statement than a question.

"What?"

"Kiss him, thank him. Like it was only him." She didn't sound offended but was studying Dean with a critical eye.

"I don't care," Dean said.

"I think you do. I think you're suffering from younger sibling syndrome."

"I…uh… what?"

"Younger sibling syndrome," she repeated.

"Whatever," Dean dismissed but was a little curious. "What is that?"

"Your younger sibling gets more attention, is better looking, is smarted and is better liked."

"Sam is not better looking," Dean argued. But was forced to consider her words. They had the uncomfortable ring of truth.

"I think you're a hero too," Layla said looking out her window, refusing to meet his eyes.

Dean didn't respond. Because he didn't care and her words therefore had no effect. Hardly any effect at least.

**AN: well I updated. It's been forever but I am in more of a position to regularly update these days. So hurrah for regular updates.**

**MD666**

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